


The Digiciser Files

by milksalt



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Cyberpunk, Flash Fic, Gen, HQ Brofest 2018, HQ Brofest Flash Tier, Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi AU, technology written by a technologist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-03-31 17:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13979691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milksalt/pseuds/milksalt
Summary: In the future, what is death, if data is immortal?





	1. You and AI

**Author's Note:**

> Thank-you for visiting. This is a Sci-Fi setting.  
> ※ Some characters may be dead before it starts ... I wish you don't mind.

"I'm Suga," you say.

You have large eyes, golden, amber. They stand out on pale skin tinted ashen by grey-wispy hair.

"I see." 

"I'm Suga," you repeat, earnest. "Who are you?" 

"Exit." 

The hologram flickers. "I'm Suga. Are you a friend? Please tell me your name --"

A context menu flashes into existence. "Confirm."

 

 

 

 

Within a boundary marked by neon cordon tape, Kuroo disables the dive, records all observations, and prints a label. The holograph cartridge is ejected, tagged, and placed into a silken black case, where it will rest before being collected by the signatory on Sawamura Daichi's End-Of-Life file.

 

 


	2. To Have and to Hold

Michimiya Yui asks, "Who's the other one?"

She's a strong woman. Iron-willed. Composed despite taking a dead man's digital remains. She met Sawamura Daichi in middle school. They dated. They stopped dating. She cared for him after a road accident. He accompanied her to her cousin's wedding, where he was asked if he would be Michimiya's future bridesmaid. There he unhesitatingly answered yes.

Kuroo meets her today. Kuroo processed all the decedent's albums yesterday.

In her fingers, two locked Faraday envelopes tremble, and it's no wonder she can't focus on their fine writing.

Kuroo recites from a photograph. "Sugawara Kōshi."

 

 


	3. Icarus Complex

"This world is full of data. Billions of sensors collect trillions of data several thousand times per second. Real-time systems requiring real-time updates can process a macrocosm in a microsecond. Computers become faster and faster; humans imagine new systems to harness more information than the day before. First recording our habits, then our wants. Then document review was automated, deciphering what drives our desires. Now, specialised processors allow profile emulation, able to perform decision-making in parallel with a human.

"Data. There is so much of it. Targeted technology consumes it without end.

"After someone dies, what happens to this information?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title note : [Icarus complex](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icarus_complex) roughly describes over-ambition exceeding physical limitations


	4. The Digiciser

Kuroo attends appointments dressed in his best suit. It's black with a matching tie, of a cut appropriate for either weddings or funerals.

It's also his only suit. But that's a fine detail.

"... the Earth-Delta package. Three dimensions: thought, speech, and movement ..."

His audience, a Miya family, are rapt. They understand his job. They look between him and his pamphlet. They requested this consultation and don't question his sales.

"... absolute vocal synthesis cannot be guaranteed at this tier. Utilisation of artificial intelligence to predict and express future desires is included in _Requiem_ \--"

Service after death: the business of a digiciser.

 

 


	5. Eternal Life

Michimiya Yui doesn't believe in coincidences.

Yet she thinks of a younger self, of 'hope' and 'love' and 'happiness of your closest friends', of warm hands hefting her fingers for permission, of tingling up her spine from a hug.

Michimiya Yui doesn't believe in coincidences.

Yet she's home after another bad break-up and goes instantly to the drawer she says she won't touch, fumbles at the latch which refuses to open unless it has pressure _like this_ , all _just so_ , for a silken black case and a small, rectangular capsule.

It says: 'Sawamura Daichi ( _Requiem_ )'.

He's dead.

She misses him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title note: 'requiem' comes from '[grant them eternal rest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem)'


	6. Fly Me To The Moon

"In my professional opinion," Tendō Satori begins, screwing and unscrewing an overhead light, "'public service' is another word for 'setting yourself for eternal rest'." His head cocks. "Don't ya think, Semi-semi?"

Eita casts side eyes to the shopkeeper. "Should you be having this opinion?"

A guffaw comes from the windows. Eita glimpses bright yellow before the front door closes.

Except for the two school friends, the souvenir store is empty.

"There goes the last one," Eita remarks. "Controversial is still a forte, I see."

Shrug. "Might as well amuse myself."

"Yeah?"

"I'm moonshotting."

"Next year?"

"Next week."

"You _lunatic."_

"Absolutely."

 

 


	7. Interstellar Flower Crown

The moon is known for its black beaches, artificial tourist destinations made from decommissioned carbon fibre units ground into dust. The beach in airlock N-F1 is built around an old landing capsule cleaved on its long side, rising from the ashes, the bow of a ship reborn.

Kenma's usual hideout is full of strange people in white. He scans their IDs. One Michimiya Yui and one Ennoshita Chikara make up the heart, cheer on their faces and bouquets in their hands. N-F1 is booked for a wedding.

Michimiya waves at Kenma. Kenma enters and congratulates.

She has a pretty aura.

 

 


	8. Side-channel

Bokuto Kōtarō's Shop Of Wonders is in the district south of the provincial intelligent systems research hub. Bokuto Kōtarō is its cheerful mechanic with hair like an owl and brains just as kooky.

Eita's entry includes Bokuto eating lunch with fingers streaked and filthy.

"Your friend owned this building?" Bokuto echoes from his burger, when Eita mentions it.

"Mmn. He went to Lunar."

"By _shuttle?_ You serious? That's some timing."

Considering Tendō was Tendō, Eita never asked. He shrugs, rolls up a trouser leg, and makes sure Bokuto's hands are clean. Bokuto is paid for prosthetic maintenance, not idle gossiping.

 

 


	9. The World Is Not Enough

"S... Sir? I-- have a question."

"What is it?"

"The young master is, err, upset? He's ... smashed his headset, and keeps yelling about the Moon fixing an Iwa-chan, should we order him a new one --"

"Who're you again?"

"... Yachi! Yachi Hitoka. Sir."

"Right. New girl. Tell him the shop's out of stock. Learn to dodge."

"Yes, sir!"

...

"Sir? Sir, that okay? Aren't we hired to look after ..."

"Sometimes you have to lie to a child."

"He's twenty-one?"

"And convinced he can get back a friend dead a decade ago. The Moon's all false hope and lies, Miss Yachi. Keep working."

 

 


	10. Integrity

There's a weird red-head staring at the showcase. He notices Kenma in less than a second, thin lips splitting into shark-teeth. "Black Cat Digicisers? I'm Dr. Tendō." He doesn't stop. "Call me Satori, thanks. Just got here. Permanent residency since last week."

Kenma says, "Welcome."

"I love what you're doing here with system growth." Dr. Tendō gestures. "These neural poisoning offerings. Aging algorithms go next level. New avenues to explore. Digicised holography made death into nothing! What's better than making personalities real ... right outta people's dreams?"

Kenma asks, "Were you a researcher on Earth?"

"Hobbyist wish-granter."

Satori's teeth are gleaming.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title note : '[data integrity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity)' is also a term which refers to accuracy, correctness, or the trustworthiness of processes to ensure that things are not tampered with


	11. Colours in the Corrective Tape

"You have a twin, Atsumu?"

Miya Atsumu pauses. "Yea. When we were kids he got injured, so he's home-schooled."

Atsumu throws the next volleyball and tunes out whatever answer.

 

 

 

 

"You suck."

Osamu acknowledges Atsumu's return with the same kindness and love. "Sounds like someone bombed their practice."

"People asked about you again."

"That's not impressive, you know. Jealousy."

Atsumu punts the holograph projector to shut him up. The image of his twin vanishes. _A quieter personality would make an ideal balance,_ his parents had said to the digiciser, seven-year-old Atsumu eavesdropping from the hall.

Atsumu storms inside, inexplicably angry. _"Ma!"_

 

 


	12. You or me, the Electric Sheep?

The moon is known for its black beaches, artificial tourist destinations made from decommissioned carbon fibre units ground into dust. The beach in airlock N-F1 is built around an old landing capsule cleaved on its long side, rising from the ashes, the bow of a ship reborn.

Kuroo doesn't understand why he's pulled to it, on days when his machines are either scraping unstructured data or processing petabytes of personal online history. Outside, the Earth wanes gibbous, less than full but more than half-lighted.

Atmosphere. Nitrogen. Water. Its blueness is fascinating. 

Everyone has their oddities.

Kuroo doesn't mind his one.

 

 


	13. I and Prototype

> _Holograph image of a young man. 187.7cm._
> 
> _First Deployment 17/11/30XX._  
>  _Logic driver: Nekoma neXT_  
>  _CV: Nakamura Yūichi_
> 
> _Digital Exorciser License Enabled._
> 
> _Registered as [Kuroo Tetsurō] to Kozume Kenma._

 

 


	14. Mersenne Memento

Kōtarō was twelve when he rigged his first self-navigating robot out of an old car.

Kōtarō is on the other side of thirty and running his own store.

"Gimmie today's news, Akaashi," he says.

The holograph nods and processes and presents headlines it calculates are most interesting.

 

 

 

 

"What do you think the Moon is like?" Kōtarō gazes unto the street outside the fogged window.

The holograph considers it. "The Moon is your nearest natural satellite. Colonised. Its largest habitat is situated within Tycho Crater. The ban on aluminium exports to Earth has meant --"

"Akaashi," Kōtarō wheezes, "You're still real funny."

 

 


	15. Silicon Connection

Yui's once shared with five people among sardined bunk beds, but four people in a delivery room is too damn tiny.

"Relax."

"Take a breath. Breathe."

The words are as dizzying as the machines. The closest monitor shows a squiggly line -- a little human's heartbeat. There's another human between her legs helping it outside.

Yui trembles and everything ends.

Her husband accepts baby first, pausing to smile at red flesh. Then he hands it over to take photos. He sends them to their friends.

"Great work," says the nurse, patting Yui's head.

Dazed, Yui calls, "Chikara."

He doesn't notice her.

 

 


	16. Dreams, Dreams

"Hi," you say, full of youth, gaze no older than twenty. "I'm Suga."

"H-Hello. I'm Yui."

"Hey."

There's silence.

You break it. "What do you need?"

"I don't --"

"Sawamura Daichi registered my data on Earth. He always mentions his Lunar friend." You spin and sit on negative space. "What's bothering you?"

I hesitate. You're different from Daichi, who 'ages' whenever we speak, changing. "I ... had a question. To someone Daichi loved enough to immortalise."

"Yes?"

"I found -- I think I love someone. He ... asked me to marry him ..."

Your smile is timeless and kindness.

"Just live, Yui. Ask us nothing."

 

 


	17. Eternal Story

Kuroo is a digiciser. He does everything. Supervises robotic arms taking a circuit, gently stowing it in a case matte black. Forgets nothing. Verifies holograph correctness before authorising the final coating. Green lights wink out and red lights blink on.

The cartridge emerges from its bath, the colour of future white.

Kuroo is a digiciser. He has a firmware update and artefact purge scheduled for the afternoon. Kozume Kenma wants another eight years guaranteed autonomous operation.

> _572161/572161 packages installed._  
>  _No optimisation errors detected._  
>  _Conversion complete._

Kuroo won't stop being a digiciser. Humans cling to their past.

He'll always be.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the end. Anything you may choose to give will be deeply appreciated.(_ _｀)  
> Thank-you kindly for reading.


End file.
